Portable traffic marker

ABSTRACT

A portable traffic marker characterized by a horizontal roadengaging base member and a vertical standard normally extending upwardly from the base. The standard is operatively connected to the base member by a plurality of peripherally spaced and radially extending elastic cords. The base is relatively heavy and is capable of remaining in a stable condition on the ground even under high wind conditions or when run over by a moving vehicle. The resilient connection between the base and standard permits the latter to readily move between its normal upright or vertical position downwardly to a generally horizontal position when acted upon by outside forces, and without effecting movement of the base.

Brown 3,851,616 Dec. 3, 1974 PORTABLE TRAFFIC MARKER Woodrow I. Brown,4140 Thompson Dr., Concord, Calif. 94518 Filed: Sept. 4, 1973 Appl. No.:394,402

Inventor:

U.S. CI. 116/63 R, 40/125 H, 248/158 Field of Search 116/63 R, 63 P, 63PC; 40/125 J, 125 H, 125 N; 340/114, 81,115, 116, 119; 248/158, 401

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Int. Cl E01f 9/10 I PrimaryExaminer-Jerry W. Myracle Assistant ExaminerDaniel M. Yasich Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Harris Zimmerman 57 7 ABSTRACT A portable trafllc markercharacterized by a horizontal road-engaging base member and a verticalstandard normally extending upwardly from the base. The standard isoperatively connected to the base member by a plurality of peripherallyspaced and radially extending elastic cords. The base is relativelyheavy and is capable of remaining in a stable condition on the groundeven under high wind conditions or when run over'by a moving vehicle.The resilient connection between the base and standard permits thelatter to readily move between its normal upright or vertical positiondownwardly to a generally horizontal position when acted upon by outsideforces, and without effecting movement of the base.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PORTABLE TRAFFIC MARKER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Traffic markers or traffic delineators of the portable typehave been generally accepted for the temporary routing or diverting ofvehicular traffic. Most commonly, such devices include a ground-engagingbase and a standard formed integrally with and extending upwardly fromthe base. Usually, the standard is of hollow conical configurationwhereby a plurality of devices may be vertically nested or stacked forstorage and the like. However, in other instances, the standard maymerely comprise a tubular member. In either case, the integral nature ofthe base and standard frequently results in the entire device beingoverturned when hit by a vehicle or under high wind conditions, in bothsituations, the primary overturning force is directed normal to thestandard or parallel to the base.

In my co-pending application for patent, Ser. No. 342,814, filed Mar.19, 1973, now US. Pat. Ser..No. 3,809,007 and entitled Portable TrafficDelineator, a device is disclosed which is particularly effective inresisting overturning under wind conditions, but the application did notaddress itself to the common problem of unseating or overturning whenstruck by a vehicle. Even if the device is made dimensionally stable sothat it will return to an upright position after being overturned, itwill usually be laterally displaced after being struck, so that it nolonger can function as a lane marker or divider.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present in vention to providea portable traffic marker which will remain in a desired location on theground even under windy conditions, or even after being hit or run overby a vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable marker asabove described in which the standard portion is formed separately ofthe base portion, and resilient means interconnect such portions in suchmanner as to permit pivotal movement of the standard about a pluralityof horizontal axes adjacent the base.

THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The main embodimentof the invention is best disclosed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawingand generally includes a base 6, a standard 8, and a resilient meansinterconnecting the standard to the base. The base as shown has arectangular configuration, but other shapes such as round, rectangular,etc. could be employed if desired. Base 6 is provided with a centralopening 12 and is of sufficient thickness to be formretaining, and ofsufficient weight to remain generally fixed in the location where it isplaced. If desired, the base may be constructed with apertures asdiscussed in the aforesaid copending application, but since suchapertures and their associated tubular elements form no independent partof the present invention, they are not shown in the present drawing. Thebase may be formed of rubber, neoprene or suitable plastic, butpreferably has sufficient resiliency to be slightly deformable when runover by a vehicle.

The standard 8 is shown as a length of hollow plastic tubing having aside wall 14 and a bottom end wall 16, the latter being releasablyconnected to a lower plate 18 by any suitable means, such as the boltarrangement shown in FIG. 2. The standard extends vertically upwardlyfrom the central axis of base opening 12 and is resiliently supported insuch position by the resilient means 10, best illustrated in FIG. 3 ofthe drawing. Plate 18 is provided with four equally spaced apertures 22through whicha cord 24 may be threaded to define four radially extendingloop portions 26. Such loop portions are releasably engaged with hooks28 carried on the inner distal end portions of elastic cord means 30whose radially outermost portions are secured to portions 32 of a rigidframe, the latter being inserted within and suitably secured to the base6.

It should be understood that the elastic cords 30 could extend from theframe 32 directly to the plate 18, but it has been found that with thearrangement shown,

if the standard is damaged and requires replacement, it v is very easyto release the hooks 28 and put a new standard on the assembly eitherwith or without replacement of plate 18 and cord 24. It should also beunderstood that in place of the elastic cords 24, other resilient meanssuch as a tension spring could be used.

Frame 32 is here illustrated as an annular ring which may be insertedinto the base through a bottom opening annular groove 34 formed in thelower surface of the base. A peripheral groove 36 communicates with theopening 12 for passage of the cord 30 from the ring or frame into theopening and towards the standard.

The foregoing arrangement results in a unit which will remain fixed orstationary even when hit by a vehicle. As shown in FIG. 1, if thestandard is hit, it will merely pivot downwardly against the pressure ofthe cords 30, and when the force is removed, the cords will return thestandard to its normal upright position.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified form of the invention in which thestandard takes the form of a typical hollow plastic cone 42 to permit adegree of vertical stacking of a number of units. The lower end 44 ofthe cone must be open if stacking is to occur and consequently the cords46 are attached to peripherally spaced portions of the outer surface ofthe cone adjacent the lower end thereof. The cord arrangement canotherwise be the same as discussed in connection with FIG. 3, or merelycomprise elastic cords interconnecting the cone and ring 32.

In both embodiments it will be noted that the lower end of the standardis located above the lower surface 50 of the base. This permits theaforesaid pivotal movement of the standard about an infinite number ofhorizontal axes located in the plane of the frame or ring, with theouter edges of the lower end of the standard capable of movement withinthe opening 12 without interference from the road surface on which thebase is positioned.

I claim:

1. A portable traffic marker including a relatively flat ground-engagingbase member having a central opening extending vertically therein, aseparate vertical standard disposed centrally of said central openingand extending upwardly therefrom, a plate-like member secured to saidstandard adjacent the lower end thereof, a plurality of resilientlyextensible means connected to and extending under tension from theperiphery of the central opening of said base member to the lower end ofsaid standard to support said standard above the ground, whereby saidstandard may be deflected by a moving object from said vertical positionto an inclined position relative to said base member and restored tosaid vertical position.

2. A marker as set forth in claim 1 in which said resiliently extensiblemeans include a plurality of elastic cord members extending radiallyoutwardly from said standard to said periphery of said central opening.

3. A member as set forth in claim 2 in which said standard is of ahollow conical configuration.

4. A member as set forth in claim 2 including said elastic cord membersbeing attached to said plate-like member.

5. A member as set forth in claim 4, including a plurality of rigidelements disposed within said base member around said opening, saidelastic cord members being attached to said elements and extending intosaid opening generally normal to said standard and being attached toperipherally spaced portions of said platelike member.

1. A portable traffic marker including a relatively flat groundengagingbase member having a central opening extending vertically therein, aseparate vertical standard disposed centrally of said central openingand extending upwardly therefrom, a plate-like member secured to saidstandard adjacent the lower end thereof, a plurality of resilientlyextensible means connected to and extending under tension from theperiphery of the central opening of said base member to the lower end ofsaid standard to support said standard above the ground, whereby saidstandard may be deflected by a moving object from said vertical positionto an inclined position relative to said base member and restored tosaid vertical position.
 2. A marker as set forth in claim 1 in whichsaid resiliently extensible means include a plurality of elastic cordmembers extending radially outwardly from said standard to saidperiphery of said central opening.
 3. A member as set forth in claim 2in which said standard is of a hollow conical configuration.
 4. A memberas set forth in claim 2 including said elastic cord members beingattached to said plate-like member.
 5. A member as set forth in claim 4,including a plurality of rigid elements disposed within said base memberaround said opening, said elastic cord members being attached to saidelements and extending into said opening generally normal to saidstandard and being attached to peripherally spaced portions of saidplate-like member.